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lilopalu's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
But for long stretches of the book I felt very distant maybe also out of self-protection because for me there was just too much graphic violence in this book to really love it.
If you are sensitiv or have certain triggers, please read the content warnings not just of my review because there are so many that I don't think, I got them all.
Graphic: Violence, Ableism, Death, Police brutality, and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, and Cannibalism
incipientdreamer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Torture, Cannibalism, Child death, Blood, Ableism, Body horror, Cursing, War, Violence, Animal cruelty, Death, Animal death, Colonisation, Gore, and Death of parent
bittennailbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book changed my DNA. A frustrating, devastating, and blood soaked love story dedicated to fantasy lovers everywhere.
Two warriors are tasked with the impossible as they haul a dying mother god through the corrupt lands of her tyrannical children in hopes of stopping their reign once and for all. It holds no punches as it drags you hog tied through each gory act written like a play and told through the ever changing proverbial "I". As gory as the "Poppy Wars" and lyrical as "The Starless Sea", this is your next read for fantasy lovers everywhere. I repeat, read this book now!
Graphic: Gore, Death, Body shaming, Cannibalism, Body horror, Death of parent, Excrement, Blood, Genocide, Grief, Ableism, Murder, Confinement, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Abandonment, Animal death, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Homophobia
chymerra's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
- Keema—I liked him. There’s not much I can say about him other than that he was almost stupidly brave. I wouldn’t say I liked that he was looked down upon for only having one arm or that the other guards picked on him because of it. His journey with Keema was to find himself as much as it was to bring the Moon to her final destination.
- Jun—So, he didn’t make the best first impression when he showed up in the book. But, as the book continued, I saw Jun’s character evolving. He started to care about Keema and what the Terrors were doing to the people during his journey. Heck, he even cared about the tortoise. By the end of the book, he has changed from the beginning.
- Unknown Narrator—This is the person being told Jun and Keema’s story and their own life story. I felt terrible for this man. He had been through so much in life. He was amazed to find himself at the Inverted Theater, watching this story unfold. There was a more fantastic connection between Jun, Keema, and himself that was revealed at the end of the book. I didn’t see that twist coming!
- The Three Terrors—I was going to make them secondary characters, but I got to thinking, and they each, in their way, were main characters. To me, they embodied the worst traits that society had. Jun’s father (the First Terror) was Violence. He participated in genocide in the Old World. He did love his sons, but that was his only redeeming quality. The Second Terror, to me, was Greed and Gluttony. In my eyes, he was the scariest Terror, mainly because of what he did to gain the powers of the tortoise. The Third Terror, I couldn’t place him in any group. He was a horror exiled from his family at a young age. I will not even get into what he was or what he did. But I did feel bad for him. The scene with the man in that dungeon was both gruesome and heartbreaking at the same time.
- The Moon— I wasn’t sure about her. I understood why she wanted to leave (who would want to be held captive under a palace). But I wouldn’t say I liked how she coerced Jun and Keema to do what she wanted. She didn’t get to her destination, forcing Jun and Keema to do something atrocious, something I had heard of but had never seen written in a book before. She also held no love for her children. That bothered me more than anything, to be honest.
- The storylines.
- The characters.
- Jun and Keema’s slow-burn romance
- The triggers. I am usually pretty good with the number of triggers in the book, but even I got triggered by this book.
- The way it was written. Being told in 2nd and 3rd person isn’t most people’s cup of tea.
- The Terrors. They genuinely creeped me out.
Graphic: Gore, Ableism, Cannibalism, and Body horror
Moderate: Genocide
The cannibalism is ritual (not that it makes it any better) for Jun and Keema's part. Everything else mentioned isn't. Also, there are several scenes towards the end of the book where a prisoner has been systematically dismembered.poetry_shaman's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Cannibalism, Gore, Emotional abuse, Murder, Violence, Ableism, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, and Death
Moderate: Child abuse and Abandonment
Minor: Sexual content, Trafficking, and Sexual assault
northernzephyr's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Ableism and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Cannibalism, Homophobia, and Child abuse
kaschaller's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Ableism, Grief, Colonisation, Gore, Body horror, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Torture, Excrement, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Confinement, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, War, Vomit, and Murder
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Child death, and Sexual content
Minor: Infidelity
caseythereader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
- THE SPEAR CUTS THROUGH WATER is one of those books that I simply have no idea how to review because it's so special. I've never read anything like it, and even at 500+ pages, I did not want it to end.
- The storytelling style took me a minute to get a handle on, as the narration drifts through many viewpoints and realities. The only way I can describe it is that the story felt liquid, and I was carried along the currents.
- The world Jimenez has created is vast and detailed, filled with so many characters with whom I would gladly spend whole separate novels. His writing is gorgeous and delicate. Even though this story is often harsh and violent, it is filled with tenderness for its characters.
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Death, Grief, Murder, Vomit, Excrement, Abandonment, Ableism, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Gore, Sexual content, Confinement, Death of parent, Blood, Animal death, Cannibalism, and Violence
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Suicide
smashingstars's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Violence
Minor: Ableism
boglord's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Spoiler Free Summary: “You” are pulled out of your day to day world and into the Inverted Theater, carrying only memories of your lola’s stories, and a spear that has been passed down for generations. The show? The 5 day journey of Keema of the Daware Tribe and Jun the Red Peacock as they cross the country carrying precious cargo and running from the Terrors of a crumbling empire. Along the way, they must contend with a magic like they’ve never seen before, talking telepathic tortoises, the unbearable pressure of family and legacy, and the very Rhythm of the World itself.
Where do I even start with this book?
First of all, I loved it. The book takes its reader through dreams, into a magical theater, across countries, into the spirit world and out again. It spans lifetimes but also only five days. It’s language is lyrical and poetic but also incredibly blunt, gory, and gruesome. Its genre bending in its style, use of multiple perspectives and constant shifting through time and space, but also solidly Epic Fantasy in nature. And I was hooked with every page. The characters are tragic but joyful through so many terrible things that happen to them. It is a love story.
However, it may not be for everyone! That isn’t even necessarily a bad thing; this book knows who it’s ideal audience is. The “chapters” read more like sections or Books within the book itself. If you are the kind of reader who likes to finish a chapter before setting the book down, be prepared for long stretches of reading. The story itself is intricate and can sometimes be confusing! Because the point of view can change at a moments notice between paragraphs (and even sometimes in the middle of a sentence), it took me a moment to settle into the writing while also paying attention to who’s thought I was hearing. After the first fourth of the book however, it became natural to hear the important passing thoughts of those our main character pass during their journey—it fleshed out the world and made every experience in the Smiling Sun’s empire all the more real. That being said, definitely confusing at times!
Overall, this book touched me deeply. I admit to crying at least twice while reading this book. The themes of family, legacy, redemption, and love were poignant and left me thinking every time I managed to put the book down. If you are looking for a rollercoaster of a book that will never go the direction you think it will, I highly recommend this upcoming release!!
Graphic: Death of parent, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Classism, Emotional abuse, Murder, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, and War
Moderate: Ableism, Child death, Excrement, and Sexual content
Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Incest